Portside

For the labor movement, Rich Trumka’s death is a huge loss. His leadership qualities are a reminder of what the movement will so desperately need to move forward.

Trumka's death deprives the labor movement of a central figure at a time when a resurgence of union activity has brought hope of undoing the defeats of the past decade and the decline of union membership, particularly in the private sector.

The question is whether even a supportive president can reverse the decline in union power that economists say has helped hollow out America's middle class. Neither organized labor nor sympathetic politicians have managed to do that for decades.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and some of his organization’s largest affiliate unions are getting behind Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. But others are pushing Michigan Rep. Andy Levin, a former Service Employees International Union organizer.

The AFL-CIO “categorically rejects all threats to the peaceful transition of power” said Richard Trumka, “The labor movement,” he said, “simply will not allow any breach of the U.S. Constitution or other effort to deny the will of the people."

Biden knows knows our democracy is under siege. Look no further than what Donald Trump is doing with the Post Office. He’s threatening America’s most trusted public service with attacks and lies and extortion. Labor must support Biden/Harris.